The Geely E5 is powered by a single front mounted electric motor paired to a 60.22kWh lithium iron battery that produces 160kW and 320Nm.
Image: Supplied
I still believe that hybrid vehicles are the best option for South Africa, much more so than plug-in hybrids and when it comes to fully electric vehicles, love them or hate them, they are here to stay.
Whether the wool has been pulled over our eyes by manufacturers or politicians looking to score points with green constituents who have never had the thrill of throwing around a V8, it is what it is.
We recently had Geely’s fully electric midsize crossover E5 Apex on test and it turned out to be a rather pleasant experience.
Geely is the majority shareholder in Volvo cars so you know it’s likely to be a quality product which it was, but there are a couple of Chinese quirks that we’ll touch on later.
The Geely E5 is an attractive offering with sleek and aerodynamic styling.
The front end is imposing with solid curved lines and integrated slim headlights that give it a mean-looking appeal.
Attractive 19-inch alloys covered by wheel-arch cladding, roofrails and selected chrome highlights as well as flush door handles make for an eye-catching design and is one of its strongest features.
Inside it’s a very minimalistic affair that oozes premium quality and features.
At 4615mm long and a wheelbase of 2750mm the interior is incredibly roomy, with more than enough space for four adults to sit comfortably.
The white faux-leather gives it a crisp sophisticated appearance but it is likely to start looking shabby over time especially if there are children involved.
The seats are heated and ventilated and also have a massage function. The front passenger is catered for with a leg rest sending out serious premium economy vibes.
What you can’t miss is the 15.4-inch infotainment system that’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible and fitted with Geely’s Flyme Sound Boundaryless sound system.
It’s here that things become a bit frustrating as a result of menu and sub menu overload.
Apart from quick access icons for climate control everything else is loaded on the screen.
That would be okay-ish if regularly used functions appeared up front but having to guess and toggle through the screen is not only frustrating but dangerous while driving.
And while you are trying to figure it out the car alerts you that you’re being distracted.
If ambient lighting is your thing, there are 256 colour options so perhaps there’s a calming mood lighting option to prevent menu searching frustration.
Once you’ve sorted that out though the interior is a very pleasant place to while away time with the panoramic sunroof adding an extra touch to the ambiance.
There’s a Camping Mode which when activated keeps the air conditioning or heating running continuously, turns off the headlights and keeps the 12V outlets, USB ports, and entertainment system active while you head into dreamland on reclined seats.
Inside it’s a very minimalistic affair that oozes premium quality and features.
Image: Supplied
The Geely E5 is powered by a single front mounted electric motor paired to a 60.22kWh lithium iron battery that produces 160kW and 320Nm.
Consumption is a claimed 16.0kWh/100km and will get from 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds with a top speed of 175km/h.
Using an 11kW AC plug takes 6.1 hours to fully charge and with a 100kW DC charger 20-30 minutes to get from 30% to 80%.
Fully charged, Geely says it has a range of 410km but my range was closer to 350km using it in normal driving conditions without any excessive speed or pull-aways.
One thing that stands out is the E5’s ride quality.
It’s almost as though it wafts and for some the suspension may be too soft, but I found it to be a perfect combination of pliable and just enough stiffness to avoid being jarring.
Power delivery is linear rather than outright quick delivering smooth acceleration both in suburban and highway conditions.
With its low centre of gravity it handles twists and turns with aplomb but at higher speeds there was some wind noise.
Generally though it’s a delightful quiet drive but it’s the oversensitive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features that literally drive you to distraction.
For almost every driver input there’s an alarm that goes off, especially Lane Keep Assist.
With the state of our roads, swerving is unavoidable and while you can go into various menus to disable them, you have to reset them every time you use the car again.
Volvo has some of the safest cars in the world and it has none of those irritations. Perhaps the holding company should be exchanging a couple of internal memos.
ADAS systems include Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Driver Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Descent Control and six airbags.
You also get a Collision Safety Power Cut Off system, Anti Rolling Programme, ISOFIX (Outer Rear Seats), Hill-Start and Hill-Descent Assist and a Tyre Pressure Monitor.
The software irritations aside, the R759,999 Geely E5 Apex does have a bit of a cool factor and is an impressive car.
It provides an effortless ride with decent handling and oodles of interior space with great features.
If you’re looking to break into the EV market and they can overcome the pings and dings of alarms with over-the-air updates, this is not a bad option.